PLANS to axe or revise 37 county council-supported bus routes have been frozen by Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors, who claim the cuts will amount to a curfew on the young and the elderly.

Labour environment spokesman David Robinson, Labour group leader Derek Bateman and Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Molly Hale have together called in the decision made at Wednesday's executive meeting by the ruling Conservative administration.

The services involved will now re-main unaffected until the issue is discussed by county councillors at a date to be fixed.

'This whole controversy has been rushed through and still remains contentious and uncertain,' said Cllr Robinson.

'We put the brakes on what had been decided for a number of reasons and importantly because we believe the views of residents have not been adequately given a hearing.

'Without this action, 19 supported bus routes would have simply disappeared - and very quickly - by June at the latest.

'And the executive has not stipulated how 18 daytime, evening and Sunday evening bus services are to be revised - that simply means a question mark hangs over their future.

Cllr Robinson said the problem cannot be solved by hacking back services.

'We need a coherent, up-to-date and workable policy involving ourselves, bus operators and other partners to form a new supported bus network - well before drastic surgery takes place,' he said.

Cllr Bateman believes the call-in decision has further delayed what he believes amounts to a curfew.

'These bus services, particularly in the evening, are a lifeline for many people who without them would feel isolated, indeed cut off from living their normal everyday lives,' he said.

'Simple trips to town, to meet friends or for appointments could not take place.

'A good deal of reassurance, answers and plans need to be laid before the people of Cheshire about the future of the supported bus network.

'Let us not forget that while 18 supported bus services face revision, a further 19 face the axe.

'Many residents have contacted us with their views - the majority firmly against what is happening - and that is why I believe this contentious issue needs to be debated further before the final decision is taken.'

Cllr Hale said: 'There are so many unanswered questions about a policy which I firmly believe will devastate many of our communities.

'Not everyone has access to a car, not everyone can afford taxis and there are many people, particularly younger and older members of our communities, who rely very heavily on supported bus services.

'There are also some who need them to get to work. What happens to all these people - are they just pushed to one side while the administration gathers up reports about what to do next and revise the supported bus network?

'That task alone could take not just weeks or months, but years.

'Groundbreaking new methods of working do not happen overnight - so how can we help residents who right at this moment in time rely so heavily upon us?'

Reacting to the Labour and Liberal Democrat move yesterday, Tory environment executive member Cllr Andrew Needham said: 'We are not a bus company. We are being held to ransom by the bus companies and we are getting all the blame. There is a limit to how many services we can subsidise.'